Grave covering



B. I. DILGEB.

GRAVE CVERNG- APPLICATION FILED 0130.27. 1920.

' Patented 0G15. 10, 1922.

Patented st. 10, 1922.

i .unimo}sifariis PATENT ortica.

Y 4BIEiN' I. DIIiG-ER, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA;

i ,GRAVE covnnmef.`

Applicatin iiiednecember 271926.i seriaino. 133,165Jv l To allwhom' z'tconcern Beit knownthat I, BENI, DiLGnR, a" citizeny of the United Statesof `America,V residing at Birmingham, in the county of .Jefferson and iState` .of Alabama, have in-` `vented certain new andusefulImprovevtthepresent time,'so far 'as I am aware,

ments in Grave Coverings, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to a reinforced `concrete structure, forming apermanent and pleasing covering for aA grave, which can be Aproducedeconomically, is comparatively light, and can be shipped nested so as tore-` duce transportation costs.

there is nopractical gravev covering in use other than stone slabs,` ormonuments and` these `are not onlyfexpensive 'inl themselves but`require an a expensive foundation,I great care land costinfytransporting .andfthefuseof skilled workmanship to set them.r Forthese'reasons, atthe presenttimethere-is available ino, practicablecomparatively inexpen-` rable nature.,

sive grave covering of'a permanentfand du- According -toy my invention`Iputiliz'e `a metallicwframe vcarrying a wire mesh, covering on whichis appliedfa coat of cement, andthe cement vbeforeitfhairden's isgivenia l surface covering of marble chips or pieces of fine ornamentalstone which will give to the finishedcomposite article Athe appearanceofdan arched stonecovering. Sucha` grave covering i is light,inexpensive to handle and eas to lset in osition 'overfthel ofrave mound1 as vthemetallic frame` carries Spudsior ancho'r points which, whenforced into the ground, Vwill hold the covering'in place.

furthervv distinctive feature of .my .inV

vention relates tothe mannerof attachment yof thefiiame plate and4itcontemplates so,

mounting 4the name plateI to thestructure that it isy detachable, thuspermitting the covering to be marketed with the name plates 4.blank andpermitting the plate` alone tobe `removed, for initial4 marking orv forany l re! quired-'change in` marking or additional marking. This is offrequent occurrence and can be accomplished withoiit disturbingthecovering by the simple removal and replacement of the name plate.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings with 4 broken wiiiiii illustrate` the me n in', its preferredembodiment only, andiin which (Fig. lis a plan view of theimetallicframe `mesh covering and marker Similar ileference numeralsy referl 4tosimi-iA ofthe Ecomplete {struclarbparts throughout thedrav'vings.v i

As my i vention` is manufactured, Iqirs construct a 4metalvframeg'worksuch as is" illustrated in 4Fig; 6, whereiny it will Ibe seen thatAIprovide ,similar arched angle. iron end pieces l` havingtheirhorizontal'iianges inturned towards each other and lcross con;n

nectedwnear their center by` parallel spacer ubarsmQ,fand',nearyeach endby angle irons, 3.,V Beyond the angle irons the tips of thef end`,inembers'lar'e downturned and sharpened to form anchor spuds or points4.;

Over the frame `as thus manufactured I` applya covering `of wire mesh 5,such as galvanized hardware cloth, or any suitable reinforcement andsupport for the cement coat,

andgI vfasten its `edges by meansrof bolts 6 to'bothangle irons 3 and ifdesired to the end frames '.To the bars2 near the head `end ofthefframework I Vboltor otherwise suitably attachaname plate 7 havinga thicknesswhich Vwill cause lit ,to project above the coveringto be appliedto themetallic frame work` as thus far described.,y Over the wire mesh Iapplyfa layerof cement Sand before this hardens I'cover` it withacoating of chip'pedmarblet) or; anvsuitable granular or fragmentahstonewhich will r,conceal the cement and give the` composite article theIappearance of. stone. The V,article as thus manufactured rapidly driesand hardens and becomes a reinforced monolith, possessing great strengthand durability and which, therefore, can be nested and transported at.from the countersunk seat provided for it in the monolithic structureand to have Y original, changed or additional marking applied thereto,after which the name plate can be replaced in its seat and bolted orotherwise attached to the structure. It is preferable to bolt the nameplate to the frame work, the top bars 2 where exposed in passing thename Vplate seat being provided vvith bolt or'screw holes to receive theattaching elements. The name plate can be attached by any suitablefastenings of a permanent and non-rustable nature which will provide thecovering With a suitable means for properly marking the grave.

I desire it to be understood that the metallic frame work may be made upout of any suitable material and in any shape and size to suit the tasteof different people. Also .the surface coating may be of marble chips orother stone, but marble or granite chips are preferred as they are inlarge quantities at all monument yards and are of practically no value,while as thus applied to they grave covers they will give them a mostpleasing appearance. I prefer to leave the ends of the arched gravecover open but this is not essential.

lMy invention is not intended to be restricted in scope to the specificembodiments shown, but contemplates such modifications as come withinthe spirit and scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim las new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. A grave cover comprising a metallic skeleton frame work, a wire meshcovering over the frame work, a cementitious coat applied'over the wiremesh and comprisingexposed particles of stone suitable for a monument toform a light hollou7 reinforced monolithic structure .of an ornamentalnature.

2. lA grave cover comprising a light arched skeleton metallic frame workcovered with wire mesh `attached thereto,V a coating of cement appliedover the wire mesh to form a light hollow reinforced monolithicstructure, said cement coating having an outer surface coating offragmental stone, suitable for monuments embedded in and covering thecement, and a countersunk seat for a name plate, and means to detachablyconnect a name plate to said structure.

3. A grave cover comprising a metallic frame work, an inner layer ofcement thereon to form a. reinforced monolithic structure, anoutersurface coating of fragmental stone suitable for monuments embeddedin the cement, ka detachable name plate, and means to attach same to themetallic frame work.

4. A grave covering comprising an elongated metallic frame workcomprising arched end members, longitudinal connecting members, a wiremesh layer applied over said frame work, a name plate attached tothelongitudinal members above the wire mesh, a coating of cementapplied tothe wire mesh and having a surface coating of monumental stone chipsembedded in the cement coating before it hardens, said cement and stonecoating leaving the name plate exposed.

5. A grave covering comprising an elongated metallic frame Work archedend members, longitudinal connecting members, a wire meshlayer appliedover said frame Work, a name plate attached to the longitudinal membersabove the wire layer, a coating of cement applied to the wire mesh, andva surfacing of marble chips applied to and embedded in the cement coating before it hardens, said cement and marble chips leaving the name plateexposed, said name plate being adapted to be detached and lifted out ofits seat in the coating of cement, as and for the purposes described.

6. A grave cover formed of an oblong arched reinforced monolithicstructure having metallic anchoring projections at its ends and having acount-ersunk seat and a name plate detachably anchored in position insaid seat.

7. A grave cover formed of an oblong arched monolithic structure havinga skeleton reinforcing frame carrying arched studs projecting downwardlyfrom thecorners of comprising v tbe structure, said monolithic structurebeing formed with a countersunk seat for the reception of a name plate,a part of said metallic skeleton frame work underlying said seat,` aname plate vdetachably mounted in said seat, means to connect the nameplate to the underlying frame work element, and monumental stone,vfragments embedded in and covering'the outer surface of the monolithicstructure. v

In testimony whereof I Vaffix; my signature.

` BEN I. DILGER. Witness:

NoMIn WELSH..

